Party-line telephone system.



No. 873,588- PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

N. S. PAGE. PARTY LINE TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

7 APPLICATION I-ILVED JAN.17, 1907.

N L L INVENTOB Ji' hz anjffaye WITNESSES UNITED STATES Parana NORMAN s. PAGE, or NEW ironic, NYY.

PARTY-LINE TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

T c all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, NORMAN S. PAGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of lilanhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Party-Line Telephone System, of which the following is a fuL, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates-to party line telephone systems, my more particular object being to provide a line with a relay or equivalent member so arranged that when this relay is energized it performs a double oilice, to wit: First it allows any telephone on a line to be connected up ready for ringing and talking, provided no other telephone on the same line is already in'use; and second, it operates to complete the bell circuit so that the bell may ring to announce the incoming call. Both of the operations just mentioned have heretofore been accomplished by means of separate relays but I combine the two opera-.

tions in the work by a single relay.

Reference 1S'i-0 be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this s ecification, in which the figure shows a ciagrammatic representation of a central station and a party line, all parts being in their normal POSlLlOIlS.

Two, subscribers stations are shown at A, B. A central station appears at C.

A line lamp 1 is located at the central station for the purpose of producing alarms when the subscribers upon the party line desire to attract the attention of the central operator. Wires 2, 3, connect the line lamp 1 with a battery 4 or equivalent source of electricity, and the latter is connected by wires 6 and 7 with a line relay 5. This relay is provided with an armature 8 and a contact 9 in the manner well understood in this art. Connecting the contact 9 with the wire 6 is a wire 10 a wire 11 extends from the armature 8 to the line lamp 1. A wire 12 connects the line relay Swith a jack 13 and from the latter a wire 14 leads to the wire 3. The arrangement is such that when the line relay 5 is energized and the contact 9 thereby closed, the line lamp 1 is lighted-by current from the battery 4.

A plug 15 is connected by wires 16, 17, with the contact springs 19, 20, of a ringing key 18 a ground wire 21 is connected with a contact member v22 against which the con tact spring 19 is ada ted to move. Another wire 23 is connecte with a contact wire 24 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 17,1907. swan No. 352.715.

'ergized.

The lower end of the armature. '52 opens 95 Patented De hi.

and with a generator 25. The latter is grounded by means of a wire 26. From a contact member 28 a wire 27 leads to a repeating coil winding 29, the latter being con' nected with abattery 34 and windings 29?, from which a wire 30 leads to a plug 31 similar in all respects to the plug 15. his

plug is connected by a wire 32 with windings 33*, 33, the latter being connected with t battery 34. The repeating coil windings '33, 33*, are further connected by a wire 35 with a contact member 36. Ringing is accomplished by inserting the plug 15 into the jack 13 and depressing the ringing-key 18 in .70 the usual manner. Line wires 37, 38 are connected with the jack 13 and extend to each station from the arty line. At each station A, B, upon t e party line is located a high resistance relay' 39 connected by a wire 40 with the line wire" 37, also connected by a wire 41, condenser 42 and wire 43 with the line wire 38. Contact members44, 45, are connected respectively with the wires 41, 61.

A traveling contact member 46. is mounted upon a sector 47, and-by meansof a flexible connection 48 is attached to the wire 43. Each station is further provided with a switch hook 49 dependin -irom which is a. latch 50. The switch hodk 49 is adapted to support a telephone receiver 51 tially in the usual manner. I

The relay 39 is provided with a swinging armature 52 which is'retracted'by means of substana spring 53 and is supported upon'a pivot 54.

his armature is provided with ai lug 55 which normally prevents the switch hook 49 from rising except when the relay139 is enand closes a contact 56 with wires 57, 58', so

as to connect these wires togetheiji-when the relay is energized. The wire 58 is connected through a polarized bell 59 with; aground wire 60.,

wire 61 with a transmitter 62, th latter being connected by a wire 63 with receiver leads to a 51. From this receiver a'wire wire 40.

Each switch hook 49 has a limiiied amount 10 5 1 of play. even when locked as indicated, so

that when the receiver 51 is removed from the hook the latter is free to ris ,;to an extent I which will permit the contact-member 46to come into engagement with the spring; con 110 tact 44, thus completing a. circu t:ithrough j the relay.

The contact 45'is connected by a The operation of my system is as follows: Suppose that all of the stations are in their normal condition as indicated in the drawing. The switch hooks 49 are now locked in their lowermost positions, that is, by the action of the lugs 55 are prevented-from rising beyond certain limits. It now, a subscriber, say the one at station B, desires to converse with a subscriber upon some other line, he takes 06 his receiver 51 and allows the hook 49 to rise; this brings the contact member 46 into engagement with the contact member 44'and completesthe following circuit: battery 4 at central station, wires path of the latch 6, 7, line relay 5, wire 12, jack 13, Wire 38, to

station B, wire 43, flexible connection 48-,

contact members 46, 44, wire 41, high re sistance relay 39, wire 40, line wire 37, jack 13, wire 14, wire'3, back to battery 4. This energizes both the line relay 5 at the central station, andthe high resistance rela-y 39 at the station otthe calling subscriber. The

line relay 5 attracts its armature 8 and closes the contact 9, thereby completing the following circuit: battery 4, wire 6, wire 10-, con

.tact 9, armature 8,, wire 11, linelamp 1, wire 2, and wire 3, back to battery 4. The circuit last traced is in effect a short circuit from the battery4 through the linelamp 1. The completion of the circuit "through the high resistance relay 39 energizes the latter 37 throughgthe medium of .wire 43, flexible connection 48, contact members 46, 45, wire 61, transmitter 62, wire 63, receiver 51, wire 64, and the lower portion of wire 40. The subscriber at station B, by using-the transmitter 62 and receiver 51 can now talk to the central operator, the latter having been apprisedby the glow of the line lamp 1, that somebody upon the line desires to talk.

The central operator then inserts the plug 15 into the jack 13, ascertains 11113116 conven-- tional manner the purport, of the call, and

then, if necessary, inserts the plug31 intothe jack of some other line so as to place the calling subscriberin communication with the party desired; The talkmg circuit is as folows: transmitter 62 at station B, wire 61, contact members 45, 46, flGXlblGCOILDGCtlOIl '48-, wire43, line wire 38, lower contact of.

jack 13, plug 15, wire 17, contact members 19, 36 of ringing key 18, wire 35, winding 33, battery 34, winding 29,1 wire 27, contact members 28, 20, wire 16,

back to transmitter 62. The windings 29,.

33, being thus energized, act inductively 126 at central station.

I plug15, jack 13, Wire 37 wires 40, 64, receiver 51, wire 63,

upon the windings 29"., 33 and these act in the usual manner through wires 39', 32, plug 31 a-nd battery 34, to the line called.

While the circuit is in the condition just described or in other words, while the subTO scriber at station B has his receiver 51 ofi? thehook, no other subscriber upon'the line. can use his telephone or in any tway irijter fere. F or instance, if the subscriber at station A removes his receiver 51,'the switch hook 49 will not rise because the switch hook is locked down and-the high resistance relay 39 controlling it cannot be energized; to be sure, at station A" the contact member 46 engages the contact member 44 but thishas no effect-upon the relay 39 owing to the fact that this high resistance relay is short circuited by the low resistance talking circuit at station B; or in otherword's, by the metallic circuit at station B, consisting of wire 43, flexible connection 48, contact members 46, 45, wire 61, transmitter 62, wire 63, receiver 51, wire 64, and lower part of wire 40,- and any and all subscribers upon the party line, except the one who first removed his receiver, are'therefore locked out. The conversation being completed, the sub-- scriber at station B hangs up his receiver 51 and thus restores the line to normal condition as shown in the drawing.

Suppose, now, that the central operator desires to call the subscriber. at-station A.- The central operator inserts the plug 15 into. the jack 13 and'depresses the Jringin -key' 18. The following circuit is thus comp eted:

ground wire 26, generator 25, wire 23, contact members 24, 20, wire 16, plug 15, jack 13, line wire 37, wire 40, high resistance. re-v lay 39, wire 41, condenser 42, wire 43, wire 38, jack 13, plug 15, wire 17, contact bers 19, 22, wire 21, back to ground- This j energizes the high resistance relay 39 and causes it to attract: its armature 54. This not only completes the metallic connections fromline wire 38 to line wire 37, as above described but also closes the contact 56 and in'so doing allows the current from the line wire 37 to pass simultaneously. through the polarized bell 59. The ringing, therefore,-

takes place over the following circuit: ground wire 26,, generator 25, wire 23, contact mem bers 24, 20, wire 16, plug 15, jack 13, wire 37, wire 57, 'contact'56, polarized bell 59, wire 60, to ground, then back to-ground wire 59 and the subsequent steps are well known. It willbe noted that when a subscriber upon'the' party line is calling the operator ft the central station, the high resistance reis energized by the battery 4 at the central station; but'that when the central operator is calling a subscriber uponthe party line, :the current for energizing the relay 39 1s supplied from the generator 25 and not'fr'om 13-0 mem 105" This rings the bell 39 at the station of the calling subscriber 1'25 3 .form of line upon w evasss the battery 4. ltappears therefore, that m one instance, the high resistance; relay 3 9.

is energized from one source of electric' ity'x for one urpose, and inanother instance is enerqi'ge by another source of electricityfori another purpose also 1 that this relay performs adua ofiice, to wit: It controls the. position of the switch hook and thus controlsthe lockout of each station, and it also temporarily throws into circuit the polarized bell 59; this bell therefore, never ringing except when and. during the time the relay 39 is energized by the ringing current from the generator 25.

I do not limit myself to any particular 'ch mv invention may be used. Neither do I limit myself to any particular arrangement of the circuits, nor

to the mechanism shown for enabling the higlli resistance relay to control the lock-out. aving thus described my invention I claim as new, and-desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

1. The combination in a party .line tele phone system, of a. relay provided with a movable armature, a lockout controllable by said armature, a contact for controlling said relay, a movable switch hook for automatically closing said contact, a source of electricitynormally connected to the line and with said contact for energizing said relay,

a circuit provided with a contact to be opened and closed by movements of said armature,

and an electric alarm connected with said circuit and a second source of electricity, capable of operating both relay and alarm when connected to the line.

2. The combination in a party line telephone system of a switch hook, mechanism for (preventing the movement thereof beyou a predetermined limit, a relay con nected with said last-mentioned mechanism for the purpose of permitting the movement of saidswitch hook beyond said predetermined limit, said relay being energized automatically by a source of electricity normally connected to the line through movements of said switch hook, and a normally open circuit provided with a contact to be closed by said mechanism.

3. The combination in a party line tele phone system of a movable switch book, a movable armature for locking said switch hook in apredetermined position, a magnetic member controllable electrically through a contact at said switch hook for the purpose of attracting said armature and thereby releasing said' switch book, a contact 'to" be closed said armature, a bell circuit eonnec with said contact and controllable bar and vsaid bell circuit at same instant.

vlo k9.- Controllable b Said magnet an j said magnet, on act .t

4. 'Ihe'combination in a party line tele a direct current. I circuit for energizing... Said;

g na. an, ri' m i ifb ef'. ma yrflopa; a swltch contact fonclosn'ig sald circuit, a] 1 t for ne gizin said magnet, a'high rsi'stancc'circuitYinclu ing, a bellandadapted to be controlled by closure of said contact, and meanscontrollable at will from a distant station and common to said m'agnet'and to said bell for energizing the same independently of said first mentioned source of electricity.

5. The combination o'f line conductors, a 'high resistance magnet disposed at a sub, scribers statiorna lockout controllable by said high resistance magnet, a direct current source of electricity located at a central station and normally connected to said line con-' ductors for signaling and talking purposes, said direct current source of electricitybeing controllable at will from a subsc'ribersstation forenergizing said magnet, an alternating current source of electricity located at said central station and controllable therefrom for the purpose of energizing said magnet independently of the will of the subscriber, and alarm and talking circuitslocated at said subscribers station and both controllable b said high resistance magnet. 6. The com ination of a line, a plurality of high resistance relays connected therewith and each located at a subscribe rs station, asource of electricity located at a central station and connected to said line, said source of electricity being controllable at will fromany subscribers station for energizing saidrelay at that station, an alternating current source of electricity controllable at will from a central station for simultaneously energizin all of said relays independently of the wills of the subscribers," a low resistance talking circuit at each subscribers station,- means located at each 'subscribers' station and con-" trollable by the individual subscriber for shunt-ing said talking circuit acrossthe relay, and'an electric alarm located at each subscribers station and controllable by the relay at that station for the purposeof giving a signal continuously so long assaielline is en- 'ergized from said alternating current source I movable switch hook, a'high' resistance ma-gnet provided flflth 'means for controlling" predetermined limit, a contact in said ma jnetic circuit adapted to be closed by said: the y, and means controllable from movements ofsaid switch hook beyond a l switch hook before' arriving at said predeter 'n'iined-dimita low resistance talking circuitii normally open and ada ted to be closed-"by movements of'said switchjhook beycndi-"sai'd i jpredetermined "limit," and f a normally open" bell circuit provided with a contact to be closed by action of said high resistance magnet.

lay, independent 8. In a party line telephone system, the combination at a subscribersstation of a movable switch hook, a locking device therefor, a high resistance relay providedwith means controllable by said switch hook for actuatingsaid locking device so as to release said switch hook, an electric alarm controllable by said relay, a talking circuit bridged around said relay and provided with a'coni tact to be closed by the movement of said switch hook when the latter is released, and

means for energizing said high resistance reof said first mentioned means, and inde endentlyof the will of a.

subscriber at sai subscribers station.

.9. Ina party line telephone system, the

'combination".at ,a subscr bers station of a high resistance relay, a source of electricity controllable by a switch hook contact at. said station .for energizin said relay, lockout mechanism controllab e by said relay, a contact to be opened and closed by said relay, an

electric alarm controllable by said contact, and means under control of a central station for energizing said relay independently of said first-mentioned source of electricity, and a normally open low resistance talking circuit controllable by movements of said switch hook, and located in a branch circuit relay for the purpose of energizing the same and also energizmg said alarn niechanism.

" 11. In a party line tele hone system, the combination at a subscri ers station of a transmitter c rcuit, lockout mechanism for holding the same temporarily incapableof' being connected to the line,.a high resistance relay for controlling said lockout mechanism,

means at said subscribers station for con-- necting said relay to the line, said relay being provided with a contact, an electric alarm connected with said contact, a source of al ternating current located at a central station .for the purpose of energizing said relay and said alarm mechanism, and .a condenser interposed in a branch circuit; of said alternat ing current and said relay about said open point at said switch hook contact.

12., 1f-he combination of' a extending;

the line and located at sai from a central station to a subscriber s'stw tion, a transmitter at a subscribersstation connected to the line,'lock0;ut mechanism for holding said transmitter temporarily in an open'circuit, a high resistance relay for con:

trolling said lockout mechanism, means at said subscribers station for connecting said, a

relay to the line, said relay being provided with a contact, an electric alarm connected with said contact, a source of alternating current located at a central station for the 111' pose of energizing said-relay and said arm mechanism, and a condenser interposed in.

the circuit of said alternating current and said relay. v

13. The combination of a line extending from a central station and a sub-station, a relay located at said sub-station, a condenser connected with said line and with said rela so that said relay may be actuated throu i said condenser, a bell circuit controllable y said relay, a generator located at said central' station for the purpose of operating said relay and energizing said bell circuit}, a source of electricity normaly connected to central station and independent of said generator, and

mechanism at said sub station for short-circuiting said condenser and allowing said re- Y I lay to be actuated from saidsecond-rhentioned source of electricity.

"14. The combination of a line extending from a central station and a sub-station, a

relay located at said sub-station, a condenser connected with said line and with said relay so-that said relay may be actuated throu said condenser, a bell circuit controllable. y

.said relay, a generator located at said cen tral station for the purpose of o crating said relay and energizing said bel circuit, a

source of electricity normally connected to the line and located at said central station and independent of said generator, mechandogs ism at said isubsstation for short-cii'cuiting said condenser and allowing said relay to be actuated from said second-mentioned source of electricity, and lockout niechan-isin controllable by saidrelay.

15. In a party line tele hone system, the

combination at a subscri ers [station of a circuit normally open to-the passage of a direct-current and closed to the passage of an alternating current, a relay included in said;

circuit and adapted to' 'be energized thereby, and means for connecting said relay-in sece 'ond metallic circuit to the line.v

16. In a party line telephone system, the

combination at a subscribers station of a 1 circuit normally 0 en to the passage of a di rect current and c osed to the passage of an alternatingcurrent', and 'a relay included in said circuit andadapted to befenergiz d thereby, means including a movable switch.-

hook forconnecti'ngsaid relay in a' separate metallic circuit to alarm circuit to be relay.

17. In a party line telephone system, the combination at a subscribers station 1 of a circuit normally open to the passage of a direct current and closed to the passage of an alternatingcur'rent, and a relay included in said circuit and adapted to be energized thereby,means including a movable switch hook for connecting said relay in a separate metallic circuit to the line, an electric alarm circuit to be opened and closed by said relay, and a lockout controllable by said relay.

18. In a party line telephone system, the combination at a subscribers station of a circuit normally open to the passage of elec trieity, a relay included in said circuit, a second ci rcuitallowing the passage of alternating current but not allowing the passage of direct current through said relay, and means controllable by a contact at said subscriber's station for allowing the passage of direct current through said relay.

19. In a'party line telephone system, the

the line, and an electric opened and closed by said combination at a, subscribers station of a en to the passage of elecuded in said circuit, a seccircuit normally o tricity, a relay inc and lock-out devices,

station for allowing the ond circuit allowing the passage of alternating current but not allowing the passage of direct current through said relay, signaling and means for allowing the assage of either of said'currents, for con trol ing said signaling and lockout devices.

20. In a party line telephone system, the combination at a subscribers station of a circuit normally open to the passage of electricity, a relay included in said circuit, a second circuit allowing the passage of alternat ing current but not allowing the passage of direct current through said relay, signaling and lock-out devices located at said subscribers station, means at said subscriber's passage of direct current through said relay for controlling said lockout devices, and means at a central station to operate said relay to control said signaling devices. at said subscribers station.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in.the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NORMAN 's. PAGE. W'itnesses :v

ALroN G. FosTER, B. S. S'OARBURGH. 

